00                   HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 25                                                                   
01 Designating June 27, 2016, as Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness Day.                                               
02 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
03       WHEREAS the brave men and women of the armed forces of the United States who                                    
04 proudly serve the nation and risk their lives to protect its citizens deserve the investment of                         
05 every possible resource to ensure their lasting physical, mental, and emotional well-being; and                         
06       WHEREAS post-traumatic stress occurs after a person experiences trauma and may                                  
07 not only result from the stress of combat, but also from rape, sexual assault, battery, torture,                        
08 confinement, child abuse, accidents, bombings, or natural disasters; and                                                
09       WHEREAS post-traumatic stress is characterized by numerous symptoms, including                                  
10 flashbacks, avoidance, hypervigilance, nightmares, re-experiencing, anxiety, cognitive                                  
11 deficits, irritability, insomnia, fatigue, and thoughts of suicide; and                                                 
12       WHEREAS combat-related post-traumatic stress is significantly pronounced, given                                 
13 that men and women in the armed forces are highly exposed, often daily, to traumatic events,                            
14 including life-and-death situations, for weeks, months, and even years; and                                             
15       WHEREAS service members and veterans often struggle with combat-related post-                                   
16 traumatic stress for years after leaving service; and                                                                   

01       WHEREAS the extreme survival skills and defensive behaviors acquired as a result                                
02 of service are often difficult to manage; and                                                                           
03       WHEREAS post-traumatic stress has historically been viewed as a mental illness                                  
04 caused by a preexisting flaw in a person's brain or character, and the term "post-traumatic                             
05 stress disorder" or "PTSD" carries a stigma that perpetuates this misconception; and                                    
06       WHEREAS referring to a post-traumatic stress injury as a disorder perpetuates the                               
07 stigma against mental illness, which in turn discourages people who suffer from post-                                   
08 traumatic stress injury from seeking proper medical treatment; and                                                      
09       WHEREAS raising awareness of the condition and eliminating the stigma may                                       
10 encourage people affected to seek help voluntarily and allow for timely treatment that may                              
11 prevent suicide; and                                                                                                    
12       WHEREAS efforts should continue to make the condition less stigmatizing and more                                
13 honorable to increase the number of affected people who may seek help and assistance                                    
14 voluntarily; and                                                                                                        
15       WHEREAS all people who suffer from post-traumatic stress injury deserve                                         
16 recognition, and people who are affected by post-traumatic stress injury from wounds                                    
17 received while serving the nation further deserve respect and special honor;                                            
18       BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature designates June 27, 2016, as                                   
19 Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness Day to bring awareness to the people suffering from                              
20 post-traumatic stress injury and encourages people to reach out to their fellow citizens to                             
21 provide support and eliminate the stigma associated with this injury; and be it                                         
22       FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature encourages the                                               
23 Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs and the Department of Health and Social                                    
24 Services to continue educating service members and veterans, victims of abuse, crime, and                               
25 natural disaster, their respective families, and the public about the causes, symptoms, and                             
26 possible treatment of post-traumatic stress injury.